Former rivals now team up to lead Nittany Lions

The met in the 2004 CIAC state singles final, with McCarthy winning the title to complete a perfect 20-0 sophomore campaign. It was her final scholastic match.

A year later, Holzberg would punctuate her terrific career at Joel Barlow High by returning to the final and seizing the state championship.

Having been Nittany Lions teammates the past two years, they've become good friends.

"She was always there for me whenever I needed someone to talk to," McCarthy said.

This fall, they'll be roommates in Happy Valley as Holzberg begins her senior year. McCarthy, a junior, will be living off-campus for the first time.

Holzberg enjoyed an outstanding freshman season, going 18-6 in singles mostly at the Nos. 4 and 5 spots. She was 8-3 in the Big Ten. The Kinesiology major went 13-19 as a sophomore and 12-16 this past season, playing mainly at No. 3.

Penn State finished 8-14 in 2008.

"I think all the girls are interchangeable parts," said Ward Jannuzzi, who is McCarthy's father and works as a tennis pro in Houston. "Anybody between 1 and 6 could play 1 or 2 or 3 or any of those positions."

As doubles partners, McCarthy and Holzberg were 1-1 in 2007 and 4-6 this spring.